Pakistan faces FAA audit to restore US routes
A team from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is visiting Pakistan to conduct an audit of the country’s aviation system, seen as a crucial step toward restoring direct flights between Pakistan and the United States.
The visit, which began on September 6, 2025, marks the first FAA inspection in Pakistan in several years. The review will focus on key areas of concern, including the Civil Aviation Authority’s (CAA) regulatory compliance, pilot licensing procedures, and overall safety oversight.
The FAA inspection, set to continue until September 12, 2025, will review several departments within Pakistan’s CAA. Auditors will also evaluate whether the country has built the capacity to maintain international safety standards over the long term.
While the findings will not immediately reinstate flight permissions, a positive outcome would be the strongest indication yet that direct services between Pakistan and the US could potentially soon return.
Direct flights between Pakistan and the US were suspended following revelations in 2020 regarding pilot licensing irregularities. The controversy grounded Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) flights to the US and also triggered bans in Europe and the UK, along with a downgrade of Pakistan’s aviation safety rating.
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Since then, Pakistan’s CAA has undertaken a series of reforms to rebuild international trust. These include tightening pilot examination protocols, enhancing flight safety monitoring systems, and aligning procedures with ICAO standards.
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If PIA, the country’s flag carrier, regains access to the United States, particularly major gateways such as New York (JFK), Washington D.C. (IAD), and Chicago (ORD), it would reopen one of its most valuable long-haul markets. A successful audit would also strengthen Pakistan’s credibility with global regulators and would create opportunities to restore international operations that have been restricted in recent years.The post Pakistan faces FAA audit to restore US routes appeared first on AeroTime.
A team from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is visiting Pakistan to conduct an audit of the country’s…
The post Pakistan faces FAA audit to restore US routes appeared first on AeroTime.
